Henry Birch appointed to Responsible Gambling Trust board

Rank Group chief executive Henry Birch has joined the board of the Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) as part of a trio of new appointments by the organisation.

The CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, Brigid Simmonds, will join Birch as a trustee on the board, replacing Genting chairman Peter Brooks and chairman of Hook Norton Brewery, Jonathan Paveley.

Annette Dale-Perera, a former strategic director of addiction and offender care in the NHS and a member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, has also joined the RGT as an independent trustee.

Birch’s appointment sees him join other gambling industry figureheads on the RGT board including William Hill chief executive James Henderson, who was appointed in May, and Remote Gambling Association chief executive Clive Hawkswood.

“I am delighted to be joining the RGT board of trustees,” Birch told eGaming Review this morning.

“Through helping tackle problem gambling, conducting research and promoting responsible gambling throughout the sector, the RGT plays an extremely important part in our industry and I look forward to helping it further these aims,” he added.

RGT said today’s appointments would enable it to maintain a balance between independent and industry trustees on its board, which has 11 members including a non-voting chairman.

“With the appointments of Brigid and Henry, RGT will continue to benefit from knowledge and experience gained in all major sectors of the British gambling industry,” Peter Goulden, RGT chairman, said.

Established in April 2012, the RGT is a leading independent charity in the UK committed to minimising gambling-related harm and is funded by donations from the gambling industry.